By Ernest Irek

It took me about 20 minutes for me to do a double-take on the article written by one George E Omini about the political career of Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN).

After some soul-searching and sober reflections, it dawned on me that I consider myself an appropriate person to throw light on this issue and article and indeed, subsequent and future ones.

I was there when Ndoma-Egba contested for the gubernatorial race in 1991. I was there again when Senator Liyel Imoke contested the Senatorial seat in 1992. I was the state Treasurer of NRC, the platform both of them used. Again, providence put me on the scene when the 4th Republic took off in Cross River State.

*Ndoma Egba

Apart from being one of the original 13 conveners of the PDP in Cross River State, I emerged the very first state Chairman of the party. Indeed, I was also around when Ndoma-Egba headed for the Senate in 2003. He went there on a populist ticket.

History, again, placed me in the centre of events when Senator Liyel Imoke contested the 2007 gubernatorial elections. The intrigues that played out there were no different from those that played out in getting Ndoma-Egba to the Senate. Therefore, I am well located to comment on these individuals and the roles they played in the political developments of Cross River State without prejudice.

When I read Omini’s piece tagged “Ndoma-Egba and his swan song,” I wondered if he even took the trouble to look up the true meaning of ‘swan song.’ In this context, it would mean the final performance of Ndoma-Egba’s career as a politician.

I would let the writer know that the only people who can sing the swan song for a politician are his constituencies and in Victor’s case, we have  not gotten to that bridge yet; how much more talk about crossing it.

The hate campaign being mounted against Ndoma-Egba has reached a crescendo that has got us believing that the sponsors are not only out to destroy his political career but to annihilate him.  The events of the December primaries that eventually led to the defeat of the PDP at the national level are crystal clear to all political watchers today.

In Cross River State, a properly-constituted panel headed by a revered party leader Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun conducted free and fair elections that were hailed even by the stats governor  and his aides as free and fair. At that point, it was only Ndoma-Egba who complained about some irregularities during the poll but his protest was brushed aside!

The PDP Appeal Panel arrived Calabar and received no petitions. Thereafter, 72 hours later, some inept politicians woke up to the reality that they had lost the primaries! For 23 days, Cross River State and her politics became drama personified.

In an unfortunate turn of events, Cross River State took centre stage at the national level. The media war that followed was something else. The PDP at the national level was caught in their own game. They knew Ndoma-Egba and his group had out-maneuvered them politically. The last resort in the game played by the powers-that-be in our state was to leverage in on their relationship with Mr. President. This gambit worked and the free, fair and credible delegates congress was cancelled, without informing stakeholders in the state.

Abuja simply handed down an instruction that fresh primaries be conducted and that was it. This directive from the party at the national level was done with a  court order subsisting and judgement was expected but all these were flung aside to politically crucify Ndoma-Egba and his group.

At this point, it became glaring that the hands of those trying to enthrone true and internal democracy in the PDP had been tied and it became  apparent that the PDP was headed for defeat. The results certainly did not disappoint.

That the Labour Party gave PDP a bloody nose can be seen with the recent bribe scandal that has engulfed the INEC Cross River State with the Electoral Commissioner now on the run! Social media and indeed, the print and electronic media are having a field day.

With all these, can you believe that in a situation where there is no level playing field,you can begin to talk about swan song for a national like Ndoma-Egba?

Again, I would let the writer know that the only way a Legislator can be said to have performed is by the number of bills he has sponsored on the floor of the chamber he belongs to.

*Hon. Irek is a former member of the National Assembly and Director General of Victor Ndoma-Egba’s 2015 Campaign.